Two for One
by JEDI Sheng
Summary: Look! Up in the sky!! It's a bird! It's a plane! It's... a tasmainian devil? Three new fighters join the fray from some of those long missing stasis-pods!! (Second in the BW series)
1. Chapter 1

Two for One

J.E.D.I

'Ha! Ha! Just when you think you've rid yourselves of me, I return!' Wait a cycle... I'm quoting Windchaser! Oh, this is sorry. Anyway... HERE WE GO AGAIN!! ------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

***********************************************************************  
This story and any of it's characters herein are totally fictitious and any resemblance  
to real people and/or events is purely coincidental. Most characters are trademarked   
/copyrighted to Hasbro, Kenner, Takara, Marvel, Alliance, and probably a lot of  
others. This fanfic is unauthorized and is simply meant for the free entertainment of  
BW fans. Anybody that wants to sue me will get about negative 5 dollars. Sorry.   
************************************************************************

WARNING! ! ! : The author once **again** has taken license to write out her views of what may or may not be true. This is simply a fanfic. It doesn't make anybody else's point of view wrong or right. 

TIMELINE : This story takes place after the quantum surge, about one or two battles after 'Rodeesh of the Maximals'. I'm going on my own timeline; this is the second story in this Series. So pretty much everything that happened before the 'Cutting Edge' episode can and probably will be worked in. 

------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

P.S.: Anybody with any ideas or anything, 'Roger me, Wilco me, ANYTHING! Hello, hello, Earth!' Any complaints, congratulations, or threats can be sent to J.E.D.I (me) at jderoeck@ispchannel.com ------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

Two for One  
Chapter One 

Windchaser was getting angry. 

"Again." 

Windchaser launched herself at her opponent. Intent on causing intense physical pain. She failed. Windchaser ended up looking up at the ceiling, wondering when she could stop. 

"Again." 

Apparently, Rodeesh wasn't going to let her stop anytime soon. 

------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

Rattrap quickly walked through the metal halls of the base, looking furtively around. 

"Yo! She-Spider! Ya seen da Boss-Monkey anywhere?"

"Optimal Optimus is waiting for you in his quarters, Rattrap."

Rattrap shook his head to himself and settled the black strongbox under his arm. He refused to answer Black Aracnia's questioning look at it and quickly headed off in the direction of the Boss-Monkey's quarters.

Optimus turned around at the sound of his quarter's door opening and smiled at Rattrap.

"Did you get it?" Optimus asked.

"Yeah."

"Good. Do you want to give it to him or would you like me to?"

"I will. Dose kids had better appreciate dis. I had ta scour a lotta land ta find it. Where is our boy, anyway?"

"Follow me. I was just about to get him anyway," Skywitch said. The Stealth Master had walked up behind the two robots, and, like always, they hadn't registered the femme's presence. In another words, they jumped in surprise. Skywitch raised an optic ridge, then the masked femme continued. "By the way, Nightwolf wants to see you and Rod in the Command Room."

------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

"Again."

Windchaser lost her temper... and quickly found herself doing her best not to breath hard as she lay on her back with Rodeesh's arm blade against her throat.

"You lost control of your temper."

"Yeah... and your point IS?"

"You've GOT to learn to adapt, 'Chase. AND to control that temper. You can't expect an enemy to always act the same. Now... Again."

"Ya might have ta hold on dat kiddo."

Cheetor looked over his shoulder at Rattrap, smiled, then turned around. And, still smiling, helped his pride-beaten second to her feet.

"Saved by the bell, 'Chase."

"Ha, ha, you're a riot."

"I know," Cheetor said with joking smugness and a smile. Then he turned to face Rattrap. "So! Ratface! What have ya got there?"

"Somethin' dat I think is YOUR'S."

"What do you...? My strongbox!! I thought I had left that on Cybertron!"

"Looks like da Strike Team brought it with dem. And now you're gonna open dat black box of yours before I die of curiosity."

Cheetor chuckled and protectively closed his hands on the code-locked strongbox. "Sorry Rattrap, this has some personal stuff."

"Awwhhh... CHEETOR!"

------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

Cheetor placed the coded strongbox in a carefully hidden place in his room. Then headed for the command room. He waited until Nightwolf looked in his direction before voicing his question. "You wanted to see me?"

Nightwolf nodded. "You remember when Unicron exploded?" he asked.

Cheetor raised an eyebrow, (well, not exactly, but figuratively speaking) and just gave Nightwolf a look.

"Okay, stupid question," said Nightwolf, as both Optimus and Rinox tried to hide their smiles. "Anyway, that explosion had the reverse effect on the Energon deposits then of that quantum surge."

"In other words, Nightwolf?" Optimus said.

"All the stable Energon that was out there after the quantum surge is now UNSTABLE and what little unstable Energon was left after the quantum surge is now the only stable Energon left."

"Well. That's just PRIME."

**Several sectors away...**

Three stasis-pods sat within a few miles of each other. They had landed during the quantum surge, and had been sitting there since.

Usually when a stasis-pod lands, the computer automatically turns on and searches for acceptable life forms.

Sometimes, however, they need a little help.

------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

The little black animal looked up at the strange shiny object that towered before it. The blue eyed Tasmanian Devil had been floating around on the ocean on some big branches for many days now and he was hungry enough to forget caution. 

He climbed to the top of the strange thing, nothing on his mind except to see if this was food or if he could see food from on top of it. Just as he satisfied to himself that this was not food and he had spotted some real food from his position, he jumped as the silver thingy made a strange string of noises and a warm, gold light washed over him. The little creature decided to go to the food he had spotted when the silver thing began to shake back and forth. This was TOO strange.

**At another stasis-pod...**

He stood up carefully... and almost immediately fell out of the stasis-pod and flat on his face.

"Oh yeah, THAT was intelligent," he muttered to himself. He muttered a bit more then gave a small scream when he saw himself reflected on the pod. "Awwhhh... SLAG! I'm a walking salad shooter!" Sighing, he looked down at his all white beast-mode. "Perfect, just perfect. Oh well, might as well see what my robot-mode looks like. First Aid... MAXIMIZE!!"

First Aid looked down at his robotic-mode. He was mainly white with a red chest, and he kept his armored back. (He transformed almost identically to Rattrap did in Season One, except his beast-mode head becomes his shoulder pads, like Transmetal Rattrap) He was average height for a Maximal, and he had two red crosses, one on each shoulder, obvious evidence of the fact that he was a medic. The white Maximal wolf-head stared up at him with optics as blue as his from the center of his chest.

"Well, this is a bit better anyway. At least I have HANDS now. Okay, now let's see what the pods the computer has in the data department."

First Aid went up to the stasis-pods computer and quickly began typing at the console.

The Command-ship's computer constantly and automatically updated the maximal stasis-pod computers, but the Axalon's computer had stopped transmitting when it fell into the lake. The stasis-pods are updated so the protoforms do not have to be briefed when they come on-line. First Aid read the provided information and nodded.

"So we bumped into some Predicons, lost our base, and moved? Well, it sounds like they'll need a medic." First Aid grimaced when he noticed what information the computer did NOT give. "Well, that's just PERFECT. Fine, just fine. I don't care you da... dumb computer. Fine! DON'T tell me where the new base is, DON'T tell me where the Predicons are or where I am." First Aid sighed. He was supposed to be a pacifist, but now he understood the urge to throw things and punch holes in walls. The important information wasn't there! First Aid sighed again. It figured that this would happen. He had signed on to the Axalon as its medic planning to get away from hero worship and war, and LOOK what happened. Not that he got much of the first... Except from the medics, that is... and the Strike Team. "Forget it, First Aid, forget it. You left, they stayed. That's it. Now live with it... Now computer, let us see if have any information on WHAT my beast-mode is." 

First Aid continued to tap away at the computer. He was so intent on reading what was on the screen that he didn't see the bushes shaking along the edge of the clearing in a line from the far side to right behind him. Nor did he hear the growling breath that came from that point behind him.

"Okay, so I'm an white Echidna. Okay... no natural enemies. Well, that's good. It's the UNnatural enemies that I'm worried about though."

"Unnatural?"

First Aid jumped nearly twice his height in the air and landed badly. He hit the pod as he came down and bounced slightly on it. He ended up sprawled on his back, looking up into the bright blue eyes of a Tasmanian Devil.

A very large Tasmanian Devil.

Too large.

That talked.

"You're a Transformer," First Aid stated.

"Yeah. Sorry I scared you. I didn't mean to," said the black marsupial.

"Are you Maximal or Predicon?"

"I'm a Maximal. How about you?"

"I'm a Maximal as well. What's your specialty?"

"I'm a scout and Demolitionist. What's your specialty?"

"Medic."

"You don't talk much do you?"

"No. Do you?"

"Yup. That's a Roger. I..."

"...Can talk later," First Aid said as he got up and looked down at the Maximal before him. "What does your battle-mode look like?"

"Don't know, haven't checked. My pod sort of fell off a cliff as I got out. There was this stampede of these funny Antelope-type-things, I headed in this direction when I saw your scanners light."

"Well, Maximize. Let's see what you look like."

"Okay. Snarl... MAXIMIZE!"

First Aid appraised the Maximal before him. The sides of his beast-mode split and were now held at his sides like wings. His beast-mode head also split down the center and the upper part became his feet while his lower jaw became his battle-mode chest-plate. Snarl kept his paws instead of hands. His tail did not stay attached. Instead, it became a fusion cannon held on his arm, much like the one Decepticon Megatron had once had. 

"Nice. I **LIKE** it!" Snarl said, looking at his mainly brown battle-mode. His light blue optics registered his curiosity at the next statement out of his black face. "I wonder if I can still fly?" Then, before First Aid could react to that statement, Snarl shouted, "Jets! Online!"

Snarl flew above the treetops, then circled for a few nanoclicks and then landed. "Well, I can't go as high, fast, or long as before... but I'm not complaining." "Hmmm. Interesting."

Man, you REALLY don't talk much do you?"

"No."

"That answered that question. Anyway, guess what I saw a few miles that way."

"The Maximal base?"

"Nope. Wrongo. Guess again."

The Predicon base?"

"Not even close."

"Then what?"

"A stasis-pod!! Let's go get it!!!"

"Hold on."

"What?!? Why!?!"

First Aid didn't answer out loud. He simply went back over to his stasis-pod and pulled a black box with a white square and red cross on it out of a panel covered spot on his pod. First Aid put the box in a sub-space pocket, then tapped at the pod computer for a few nanoclicks then stood and headed off.

"What was the box?"

"I'm a medic, remember?"

"Yeah..."

"Well, a lot of good I'd be without my medical case."

"So, what did you do to the computer?"

"I activated the self-destruct so the Predicons wouldn't get any information from it. Now let's go."

"Okay, F.A.... Hold it! It's this way!!"

  
  



	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

"Wazzzpinator hate thizzz. Why Wazzzpinator alwayzzz get zzztuck with zzzlag azzzzzzinments? Wazzzpinator izzz GREATEZZZT of Prediconzzz. One day, even Megator zzzay Wazzzpinator izzz TRUE leader of Prediconzzz. Wazzzpi… huh?"

Waspinator broke off in mid-complaint when he saw a flash of silver in the jungle below. He circled for a bit, then headed in for a closer look. He almost crowed with delight at what he found.

"Zzztazzzizzz-pod! Wazzzpinator take back to bazzze then…" Waspinator stopped. He narrowed his optics as a thought occurred to him. (I am NOT writing his thoughts with the buzz!) 'No. Waspinator not need take pod back to base. Waspinator activate here. Maybe new bot become Waspinator's friend.'

Waspinator nodded to himself. "Yezzz, Wazzzpinator make protoform Predicon. Make friend." The giant wasp pulled out of his tight circling and landed next to the stasis-pod. He muttered some more to himself while he pulled off the panel that covered the pod's circuitry. Waspinator reached in and carefully pulled out the Maximal personality chip and tossed it absent-mindedly over his shoulder. Waspinator then pulled a Predicon personality chip out of a sub-space pocket and put it in the place where the Maximal chip had resided.

"There, now Wazzzpinator activate pod. Protoform be Predicon, Wazzzpinator'zzz friend." Waspinator took a deep breath, then reached out and punched the activation sequence on the keyboard.

It worked.

For the first few nanoclicks anyway.

Then it all went haywire.

"What?!? NO!!" Waspinator tapped away desperately at the console, trying to stop the spark's rapid deterioration.

*~ Warning. Protoform's circuitry has been damaged. Download of information required. ~*

Waspinator blinked once or twice before what the computer had just said hit home.

"Download? ..Wazzzpinator can download! Wazzzpinator zzzave zzztazzzizzz-pod! Zzzave Predicon friend!"

Waspinator acted quickly. He pulled some download wires out of ANOTHER sub-space pocket and quickly attached them to himself and the pod's computer (Am I the only one wondering why he had all this stuff?).

"Computer… Download Wazzzpinator."

*~ Downloading. Warning, probable damage to unit high. ~*

"Download Wazzzpiantor!!"

*~ Compliance. ~*

Waspinator felt the download of his systems begin.

Then came the pain.

It overloaded every logic circuit, every data chip. Everything was lost to the pain. Waspinator began to scream.

With an explosion of blue and white sparks it was over. The explosion sent Waspinator flying backwards. He went through one or two trees before he finally skidded to a stop. Waspinator shakily got to his feet and staggered forward, his constant habit of getting blown up making one or two red-wood trees impeding his progress backwards nothing much. Waspinator actually made it all the way back to the stasis-pod before the Energon-surge hit him.

"What? NO! Wazzzpinator… beazzzt-mode!"

Waspinator transformed and buzzed the rest of the way to the stasis-pod. The computer was finishing up the last systems check. When the check was complete, the scanner popped out and the gold light flared, scanning around. The light washed over the clearing, then turned off and the scanner closed down again.

*~ Compatible life form found. Replicating. ~*

"Yezzz! Good! New Predicon!!"

The pod hatch opened and a buzzing drone filled the air as a giant yellow jacket came out of the pod. He spoke in the exact same manner as Waspinator. "Buzz-Zzzaw Terrorize!! I'll blast every Maximal in the eyezzz."

(OH NO!! Please tell me I didn't just do what I think I just did! Please tell me that I don't have TWO Waspys to write! And Buzz-Saw RHYMES?!? HELP!!)

"Buzz-Zzzaw knowzzz you! You Wazzzpinator or Buzz-Zzzaw live in an igloo!"

"Me Wazzzpinator, you Buzz-Zzzaw. Why Buzz-Zzzaw talk in rhyme?"

"Buzz-Zzzaw not know. Where we go?"

"Bazzze. Wazzzpinator want to know why Buzz-Zzzaw know Wazzzpinator's name."

"Wazzzpinator is Buzz-Zzzaw's brother, but we not have zzzame mother."

"Yezzz, Wazzzpinator download, zzzave brother-bot. Brother-bot zzztay with Wazzzpinator?"

"Picture you got. Zzzo fool you not."

The two Predicons buzzed away in the direction of the Predicon base, chatting back and forth like old friends.

**Emerging from the bush, a few cycles too late…**

Tarantulous stepped into the clearing.

The stasis-pod was there, but like the last two sites, it was empty, and too badly damaged to be of any use.

Tarantulous opened what passed for his mouth to scream in frustration when he heard the bushes crunching off to the other side of the clearing. There was a voice… No! TWO voices coming from that direction.

"Can't you make less noise First Aid?"

"No."

"Why is that YOU'RE the one who doesn't talk much and I'M the one that doesn't make much noise?"

"Maybe because I'm the medic and you're the scout?"

"Well, yeah; but do you have to step on EVERY dry leaf and twig?"

"I'm trying not to."

"'Trying not to'? Could you 'try not to' walk THROUGH every bush? Could you walk AROUND them maybe?"

"You're talking two much for stealth you know."

"With all the noise you're making? I couldn't be stealthy if I… shhhhhh."

"What? Why?"

"There's a clearing up ahead and I smell an ambush."

"Ambush?"

"Shhhhhh."

Tarantulas slid back into the bushes behind him and pulled out his new cyber-venom gun. The other two protoforms had emerged as Maximals and not Predicons like this one. Capturing two Maximals might be a very good way to get him back into good graces with Megator.

Two Maximals in robot-mode walked out of the bushes. One was average height with a mainly light brown body and some black and gray highlights. He had an upside down triangle of black that covered most of his face. The light blue optics cautiously scanned the clearing a few times before the Maximal let the other Maximal leave the dubious safety of the bushes. The second Maximal was probably about Rinox's height. He wasn't nearly as cautious as the first Maximal and he was twice as noisy. Tarantulas smiled wickedly. He would shoot the cautious Maximal first; the second one would be an easy target. What a perfect chance this was to test his new cyber-venom.

This reeked of trouble.

This REALLY reeked of trouble.

This SERIOUSLY reeked of trouble.

That was the last thought to cross Snarl's CPU before something hit his shoulder and sent him spiraling into darkness.

**Right then, back at the Drake…**

"I think I need a translator."

"Very funny, Street Cat."

"Will you PLEASE call me CHEETOR, Nightwolf?"

"That is not your name."

"Yes, it is."

"Whatever you say, Street Cat."

"Why is it I get no respect?"

Because you don't use your name?"

"Nightwolf…"

"Okay… okay… I'll drop it. Now, why do you need a translator?"

"When was the last time I understood any technical jargon, Nightwolf?"

"Good point. What DO you understand and where did I lose you?"

"Your high opinion flatters me far too much. Will you stop laughing, Skywitch!?! No respect," Cheetor said with a grin. "Anyway, I know that you're trying to explain why my gift didn't work and why it suddenly came back online after all this time."

"Okay, so far so good. So where did I lose you?"

"The beginning?"

Nightwolf sighed. "Okay, let's try this again."

"How about in something besides science jargon this time? Like Common CYBERTRONIAN…"

"Fine. You got hit by a memory virus right?"

"Yeah."

"And Optimus Primal had his CR-chamber repair you, right?"

"Yeah."

"Then THAT'S what happened to your 'Sight'!"

"I don't believe this!" Cheetor exploded. "He managed to lose me even when he spoke Common Cybertronian! What does the CR-Chamber and the memory virus have to do with me losing my 'Sight'?!?"

"I'm going to bust something!!" Skywitch managed to gasp out between her laughs.

"No respect," Cheetor said with another smile. "Now, Nightwolf… explain please."

"Okay. When a CR-Chamber fights a memory virus it isolates any unusual circuitry and closes it off because one variation of the memory virus warps circuitry."

"Okay…"

"Well… 'Sight' IS abnormal circuitry created by the Spark. That's why you kept your 'Sight' when you got your Fuzor form."

"Right. So I lost my 'Sight' 'cause the CR-Chamber computer thought it was something caused by the virus?"

"Basically. To put it in layman's terms? It made a shield over your 'Sight'."

"So how did activate, or get out, or, whatever?"

"Well, your 'Sight' is the strongest in the Strike Team. And we have the strongest 'Sights', or we did anyway, on Cybertron. Your 'Sight' pushed on the shield. When you were endangered it would push hard enough to get a bit of a warning out. The thing was, the shield worked like putting a cork in a shaken up battle of human wine. The pressure behind it kept building and building until…"

"Ahhh… Got it. Thanks Nigh…" 

His reaction was instantaneous. One nanoclick Cheetor was leaning against the wall, nodding to Nightwolf and pointedly ignoring Skywitch as she sat on the floor on her knees… doubled over in laughter. 

The next nanoclick he was jumping up to the Axalon's old command room floor and skidding to a halt behind Rhinox at the Communication station.

Optimus blinked in surprise. Cheetor had always been fast, but now he probably would have left his old self in the dust. Optimus shook his head, then turned to face the communication screen as it came on. Megator's smiling face commanded all attention. "Megator."

*'Optimal Optimus.'*

"What do you want?"

*'Your absolute surrender.'*

"Do you actually believe that WE would surrender to you, Megator?"

*'Yes, Primal. For I have TWO bargaining chips."

"Teth'mcdor!!"

Everyone within hearing distance did a double blink and stared at Cheetor in surprise. Nightwolf held back a curse of his own. If Megator knew what that meant…

*'What does that MEAN, cat?'*

"Maximal Gypsy for Slag it. What are you planning to do with them Megator?"

*'Ohhh, torture, inquires, pain beyond their mere comprehension. The usual. Unless you surrender."

"Well. That's just PRIME."

**A few cycles later, in a cage in the crashed Predicon ship 'Inferno'…**

Light.

Spinning, spiraling, painfully bright light.

Snarl opened his optics. He closed them almost immediately, groaning. He took a deep breath and opened them again. The floor seemed intent on spinning beneath him. Slowly the sensation stopped. Snarl sat up carefully; he waited for the spinning to hit him again. But except for a rapidly fading headache, he felt nothing abnormal.

"It'll fade away completely in a cycle."

Snarl jumped at the voice to his right. He snapped his head out of his hands and looked in that direction. The first thing that he noticed was that he was in a cage. The second was that the speaker had been First Aid. The third was that First Aid was also caged.

The last was that they were both weaponless.

Don't tell me, let me guess… Ambush?"

"Yes. Predicon scientist – slash – scout as near as I could tell. He hit you first with a type of cyber-venom, then me. I didn't get as big a dose as you, so woke up a little while ago."

"I think that counts as a speech from you F.A. So, why are we here and not in the scrap pile?"

"Well… I overheard some of our host's plans. We're bargaining chips that he's using against the Maximal forces."

"You mean that we're going to be used so that the Maximal team has to surrender?!? That… We need to get out of here!! What am I saying? We're weak, injured, and weaponless… SLAG IT we're helpless!!" Snarl said, his headache making it hard to think.

First Aid started to say something, then paused and frowned in thought. He reached into his sub-space pocket and pulled out his medical case. He opened it up and smiled at what he saw.

"What are you smiling about?"

"Oh, nothing much. Just the fact that you can pick a lock with a scalpel."


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three**

Windchaser glanced over her shoulder.

Nothing… Nothing at all.

No one was even going to try.

Except her.

"So be it. If they're all afraid, I'LL save our comrades-in-arms.

**Back at the Inferno…**

The headache was gone.

Snarl blinked in surprise. He shook his head experimentally. Nothing. "Wow?"

"What? The headache?"

"Yeah. It's… gone. Just… wow? Utter lack of pain. Totally normal. Just total… Wow?"

First Aid chuckled. "Alright, let's find our weapons and get out of here."

"Sounds good to me."

Waspinator and Buzz Saw finished their tour of the base. Waspinator was also finishing up the rundown of the other fighters that he was telling his brother-bot.

"That izzz almozzzt all. Only leavezzz old team. They all important people. Buzz Zzzaw need know about them."

"Brother-bot will tell Buzz Zzzaw? Come on, open up maw."

"Wazzzpinator tell. Rampage important, he dangourouzzz. He once called Protoform X. Megator have half of Rampage Zzzpark. Megator control Rampage."

Buzz Saw nodded, but didn't say anything.

"Inferno loyal to Megator. He yell a lot and kizzzzzz up to Megator. He not zzzmart."

Again Buzz Saw nodded.

"Quickzzztrike zzztrange. He think he tough-bot. He try to beat up everybody. He alwayzzz lozzze, he not zzzo tough."

Buzz Saw nodded yet again.

"Taranculouzzz zzzcary. He uzzzed to work for 'Conzzzil of Prediconzzz'. He worm, or mole, or zzzomething. Buzz Zzzaw be careful when near zzzpider-bot, or brother-bot get hurt."

Buzz Saw nodded again.

"Megator leader. He not azzz good azzz Wazzzpinator, but he good enough."

Three guesses what Buzz Saw did. 

Anybody that said 'nodded' needs to guess again. Buzz Saw was a bit too busy getting shot by First Aid to nod.

Waspinator didn't even have enough time to full react before someone or something hit him behind the head and sent him spiraling into the darkness along with his brother-bot.

Snarl hefted the metal beam that he had used to knock the Predicon wasp off-line. It wasn't his fusion cannon, but it would do for the time being. He glanced up at First Aid. The gun that their guard had 'Oh so kindly' given them was nothing more than a small hand blaster, but it would work.

"Any ideas on where we should put these two?"

"No."

"Man, you REALLY don't talk much."

**Six Sector's away and closing fast…**

Windchaser raced along.

She beat her wings hard in the still night air. She was probably going about the same speed that a peregrine would go in a dive…

In pure flight. 

She was the fastest member of the Strike Team when she was in the sky. Windchaser smiled to herself. If any Predicons saw her and thought that she was fast now, she couldn't wait to show them how fast she went in a REAL dive.

_'Then again, No one WOULD see me in a dive. I'm too fast for them to even notice that I hit them… until they notice the fact that they're missing a stomach. I can hardly wait to show those Preds my diving skills. I'm SURE they'll appreciate it.'_ Windchaser opened her beak in a feral grin and narrowed her silver eagle eyes. If she had anything to say about it, the Predicons would regret capturing these two Maximals.

SERIOUSLY regret it.

**Back in the Inferno…**

"I don't believe this! I leave him alone for one cycle and that blasted medic disappears!"

Snarl looked around one more time, then groaned. 

It just plain figured.

With a sigh, Snarl quickly headed off to try and find that thrice-blasted medic.

First Aid stared at what the hacked Predicon computer was showing. He shook his head in disbelief, then looked at the screen again. 

It was still there.

"The Strike Team? Here?!? How!?!"

First Aid suddenly smiled happily. If the Strike Team was here, things were not as bleak as they seemed.

**In the Inferno's Armory…**

Well, it wasn't First Aid, but it was almost as good.

"My cannon!"

Snarl leaped forward and all but wrenched the cannon of the table. He quickly reattached it to his arm. He pulled an ammunition packet out of a sub space pocket and quickly loaded his weapon, then smiled.

"Yes! Maximal base here I come! …Once I find First Aid that is…"

Snarl got his scout supplies and demolition weapons. He picked up First Aid's weapons and turned to leave, then stopped and looked back over his shoulder. The Predicon's weapons hung on the wall, tantalizing to his collective nature even though they had no ammunition and were not loaded.

"Y'know… There are an awful lot of interesting weapons in here. Shame to let them go to waste at the hands of an enemy. I really should do the Predicons the honor and add these valuable pieces of work to my collection."

Snarl worked quickly. 

In a very short period of time he had confiscated more than 3/4ths the Predicon armory into his own sub-space pockets.

Snarl turned and quickly left the armory. He had some nice goodies to show for his stay, but it was definitely time to go.

"Now to find that erstwhile medic."

To say that Megator was enraged would be a drastic understatement. They were GONE!! The two Maximals were gone! The cage locks had been picked, and the guard was off-line and in another cage.

"Blast!" Megator spat. Then quickly opened a comm. channel.

*~ Megator to all Predicons. Our 'bargaining chips' are trying to escape. Yeeeessssss. Get them back. ~*

**At the Drake's communication screen…**

Cheetor gave Rattrap a 'Look'.

"So, da bargaining chips ain't caged anymore, huh? Well, It'd be a cryin' shame if someone came along and took advantage of dat. Right, Spots?"

"You're right Rattrap, it sure would. Come on, I think the two of us can… ahem… 'crash the party' well enough on our own."

**Back at the Inferno…**

Snarl trotted along as quickly as he could in his beast-mode. Where the PIT was that blasted medic? Snarl sighed; he looked everywhere around him, searching carefully. _'Perfect. Just PERFECT. Slag it!! Where could he be? I mean, it's not like he's… then again, I take it back maybe he IS… Well it can't hurt to look in there… BINGO!!'_

Megator growled in frustration. Where could they be?!? There were only so many places that two Maximals could hide!

Snarl pulled First Aid behind him.

The post-Autobot Protectobot was smiling and chuckling as the two tread their way through the dangerous waters of the Inferno.

"What is so funny?!? Huh!?! What could possibly be funny about our situation, First Aid?!?"

"The Strike Team is here."

"Who?!? Who the slag is the Strike Team!?!"

"Rodeesh, Windchaser, Nightwolf, and Skywitch."

"That did not clarify matters, F.A."

"We're a fighting team of Maximals trained by Autobots." A throaty femme voice said from his left.

Snarl found himself wondering if he looked as stupid as he felt as he spun around in that direction, only to find himself staring at a femme nearly twice his height.

"Who are you?"

"I'm…"

"Windchaser!" First Aid said in half whisper, half shout.

"How do you know my name?" The silver and white femme asked with a dangerous tone to her voice.

To Snarl's complete and utter surprise, First Aid didn't answer in common Cybertronian, but in another language that, not only had Snarl never heard before, but was encrypted or the like… because his language processor didn't translate it for him. The encrypted language had a liquid sound to it and it seemed to flow along from word to word.

The white and silver femme - Windchaser apparently - stared in total shock at First Aid before she seemed to remember that her mouth was hanging open. She closed it, then opened and shut it a few times before she found her voice again. And she found it with a vengeance…

And that blasted language, too…

"Matary san'teo ma'lysce santi'frema…"

"You should know better than to curse Windchaser."

"First Aid!! What in the name of the Matrix are you doing here?!?"

"I could ask you the same thing."

"I have a viable excuse, F.A. What about you?"

"I have also have one, Windchaser… Why?"

"I'll tell you later, F.A. It's too long to explain now."

"Mine is pretty easy. I…"

"WAS CAPTURED!!" a Predicon shouted from behind First Aid and Snarl. Windchaser quickly pushed First Aid behind her and pulled her tail gun out of sub-space. 

"Well, at least it's just like old times!" she shouted.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four**

Rattrap risked a glance at Cheetor. Maybe patching into Windchaser's comm. link so they could find out where she was wasn't one of his best ideas.

Rattrap found himself doubting that the growl Cheetor was giving the Predicon base was a good thing. (It sounded like Trans-II Cheets in 'Feral Scream' Part One. You know, when he fights the preds for the first time?) 

Rattrap wouldn't have been in Megator's armor right then even if some one had given him a fleet of ships back to Cybertron and his choice of femme's. 

Cheetor growled again, his fangs bared and his ears pinned flat on his head.

"Relax, Kiddo," Rattrap said, putting a restraining hand on the growling eagle-cheetah's shoulder.

"Let's go pay the Predicons a visit," Cheetor said a bit too calmly considering the growl he had been giving the Inferno. And the fact that every hair was still at a 90-degree angle. "Remind me to have a little TALK with Megator before we leave Rattrap. There are one or two things I need to… DISCUSS with him."

**Up to their necks in trouble…**

She was dead meat.

That was all there was to it.

When Rod found out about this…

Dead meat would be her name.

"I am SO dead," Windchaser muttered. "I mean, I disobeyed direct orders. Rodeesh is gonna KILL me when he finds out!"

"Who… is… Rodeesh?!?" Snarl shouted, punctuating each word with a blast at the Predicons.

"Leader of the Strike Team, Hot Rod's apprentice; all-round good guy," Windchaser said. Disconnecting her sword blades from the bottom of her wings and using them to fight the Predicons. "They're too close for fire-arms! Switch to hand-to-hand!!"

"You're right."

"You still don't talk much do you, First Aid?"

"No."

"Does that annoy you too, Windchaser?"

"Not really. You get used to it after awhile… Snarl is it?"

"Yup, that would definitely be me. So… tell me more about this Rodeesh…"

**Back at the Drake…**

Optimus Primal cast a disgruntled look around the command room. There were times…

"The three of them are nowhere in the base?"

"Yes sir. We have got a decided lack of the eagle-lioness, cheetah-eagle, and rat."

"Skywitch, just WHERE did you learn those nicknames?"

"Hey, at least they're better than some of the ones that I've heard around this base."

*~ Skywitch, ~* came Nightwolf's deep bass voice from the comm. station panel. *~ Skywitch, come in. I just got a 'Sight Link' update from Street Cat. And believe me… You REALLY **DON'T** want to know where he and Rattrap are… or Windchaser. ~*

*~ As long as it isn't the Predicon base, Nightwolf, ~* Optimus said over the comm. link, smiling.

*~ Like I said, you **REALLY** DON'T want to know where the three of them are~*

**Trying to get to the hull…**

"The two of you talk too much."

"We're making up for you, F.A."

"Snarl, don't be rude. Snarl wanted to know about Rodeesh F.A. When else can I fill him in?"

"How about when we are safe at your base?"

"Well, where's the fun in that?"

First Aid was getting worried. The three of them were slowly backing down one of the hallways, hoping that it lead to the hull of the ship. Windchaser was talking in an off-handed manner, which meant that she wasn't really thinking about what she was saying. The Predicons were closing in before them. First Aid blinked as the Predicon head count came up half way short of what the number should have been. Where were the other fighters? 

His answer came a nanoclick later as the rest of the Predicon forces came up from behind. First Aid barely had time to shout out a warning before one of the Predicon's shots connected squarely with his chest. Suddenly making it VERY difficult to concentrate.

**Outside the Inferno…**

Cheetor jerked in surprise. That was impossible! Wasn't it? "First Aid?"

"What kiddo? What'd ya say?"

"First Aid."

"Dat didn't clarify matters much, kiddo. Is dis First Aid a who or a what?"

"A WHO Rattrap. First Aid as the AUTOBOT?" Cheetor ducked as the automatic weaponry of the Inferno took out another chunk out of the rock he and Rattrap were hiding behind. "He's in there. He's with Windchaser and another Maximal."

"WHERE in dere?"

Cheetor took a deep breath, closed his optics, and CONCENTRATED. Rattrap groaned and pulled Cheetor lower as the automatic weapons continued to tear away at their rock. Why was it whenever the kiddo located, he 'tranced'? The only time he tranced was to locate someone, sure. But it seemed that the only times he needed to locate anyone was during a fight! Rattrap groaned again. It would take a bit before Cheetor could get a precise location on the three rescuees. Until then, he acted like he had that time his 'Sight' had resurfaced. Rattrap shivered. THAT was one memory he could do without. Rattrap doubted that he would be going anywhere until Cheetor woke up, or snapped out of it, or… WHATEVER!!

_Rattrap and Silverbolt had been playing a game of cards. Cheetor and Depthcharge were the only Maximals at the base; all the others were out on patrol. Rattrap glanced up at Silverbolt, and almost burst out laughing at what greeted his optics. Silverbolt never had figured out how to put on a poker face. Rattrap would have preferred to play Cheetor since the kiddo was actually a good challenge. Plus, as long as Rattrap didn't play 'Back Street Mage' against the reigning champ, there was a good chance that Rattrap would win._

But Cheetor had taken the first watch in the new 'watch tower', so that meant that the only one left to play with was Silverbolt. Who couldn't seem to keep a poker face to save his life. This was TOO easy!!

"Either of you seen the pussy-cat?"

Rattrap had jumped a bit a Depthcharge's voice behind him. Silverbolt had informed Depthcharge of Cheetor's position, putting his hand down as he pointed, showing all of his cards. Rattrap had burst out laughing.

Depthcharge had lifted an optic ridge at Rattrap's laugh. Then he looked at Silverbolt. Depthcharge had laughed, shook his head, and took himself out. Rattrap and Silverbolt had played two more games of cards before it had happened.

A scream of utter agony had rent the air. The reaction was instantaneous. One nanoclick Rattrap and Silverbolt had been sitting at the table in the Axalon's bridge, the next the cards were forgotten and scattered as they jumped to their feet.

"That was Cheetor!!"

Rattrap could still remember the desperate race up out of the blast doors and up the 'watch tower' stairs. He couldn't really remember how he managed to get ahead of Silverbolt, but he hadn't forgotten what had greeted his optics when they had burst into the room at the top of the 'watch tower'.

_Cheetor had been on his knees, leaning limply forward, exhaustion written on every line. The only reason the cat wasn't prone was that Depthcharge was on one knee and holding the kid's shoulders. Depthcharge had looked over his shoulder at the two of them, his expression showing that he was as worried as Rattrap felt. Right then, Rattrap had begun to worry that…_

"Rattrap?"

Rattrap snapped out his reverie. Cheetor had stopped trancing and had one hand on Rattrap's shoulder, worry written on his golden face.

"What kiddo?"

"You were broadcasting a lot of concern and worry. Somethin' wrong?"

"Nah. Nothin' wrong, Spots. Just thinkin' about something. Ya got a fix on dose three rescuees yet?"

"Yup."

"Well?!?"

"Right… there," Cheetor said. Pointing through the heaviest point in the Inferno's automated defenses at a spot on the hull.

"Well… Dat's just PRIME."


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five**

Just when she was sure that it couldn't get any worse… it did.

Windchaser ducked under one Predicon's punch, then slammed one of her blades forward into him. She tore her blade back out of the Predicon and used it in a back handed swing at another Pred. At least this tunnel was too small for Megator to use it to his advantage. Unfortunately, every OTHER Predicon could and WAS using it. Windchaser snapped her wings in front of her as a shield against the laser that one of the Predicons had just fired at her and risked a glance backwards to check on First Aid. 

He was leaning against the wall, trying to stay on-line. The laser blast had hit him bad. Definite CR-Chamber time was required. _'Slag it and Primus take it, but we could use some help!'_

**Back at a rapidly shrinking rock…**

"Okay kiddo. We know where dey are, but how does dat help us?" Rattrap asked. "In order to get dere we have ta go through da heaviest point in da Predicon defense grid. You do know, dat dis is crazy, right?"

"At the risk of quoting Optimus… 'Sometimes crazy works.'"

"Teth'mcdor."

"Excuse me!?! WHAT did you just say?!?"

"Teth'mcdor. Ya said it meant 'slag it' to Megator."

"I lied! Do you think I'd have told Megator what that REALLY meant when he had HOSTAGES?"

"Oh, boy. Okay kiddo, what does dat REALLY mean?"

"It's a curse in Maximal Gypsy. It's an insult on you, your parents, your children, your religion… sonta'saidy, it basically insults anything you CAN insult!" "Sahnta… saidie?"

"Slag it in Gypsy."

"Since when do YOU know Maximal Gypsy?"

"I happen to BE half gypsy and I spent a good portion of my life in the clans."

"Ya are goin' ta tell me about dis later… right?"

"I'll tell you AFTER we save the three Maximals. Deal?"

"Oh, great. Here we go!!"

They raced out from behind the rock, dodging and ducking the lasers.

"Well, one thing's for sure Rattrap… We're both going to be in shape after this!!"

The laser fire continued to rain down on them…

**Back in the Inferno…**

Snarl raised an optic ridge. Windchaser was STILL cursing in that encrypted language? She hadn't even repeated herself yet!!

"Just what is that language of yours called? Curses R Us?!?"

"Your lucky that I'm not a Gypsy, Snarl. You could have been in serious trouble for saying that."

"WHAT!?! Gypsy?!? You mean HUMAN gypsy?!?"

"No, Maximal Gypsy."

"Is there a difference?"

"Big one. But it's subtle. You don't really notice it unless you know a Gypsy personally or you ARE one."

"So, you're a Gypsy?"

"No. But Rodeesh's Mom was a Gypsy and Nightwolf is a full Gypsy. They belong to the same clan, too."

"Same clan? Gypsy's don't have clans… do they?"

"Don't know about HUMAN Gypsies… but I do know that MAXIMAL Gypsies do."

"Ultra Gear!"

Where DOES that come from?!?"

"Huh?"

"Never mind. Word of advice, Snarl? I learned SOME of the Gypsy language from those two, and I KNOW that there's a lot more to it than I know. It's just that their curses are MUCH more descriptive than NORMAL Cybertronain languages… and it's encrypted."

"Okay. 'Nother words, don't insult Gypsies?"

"Unless you want an early grave."

"Ouch."

"Yeah."

Megator glowered. There were one or two times that being even taller than Optimal Optimus was a disadvantage. 

This was one of them.

He could walk in 3/4ths of the Inferno's hallways. However, that did leave 1/4th that he couldn't walk in.

It simply figured that the battle would take place in one of the hallways he couldn't fit in.

Not that it really mattered. The Maximals had no where to go and all three were injured.

They wouldn't be going anywhere any time soon.

**Proving Megator right…**

First Aid blinked. His systems were finally repaired enough that he could concentrate. First Aid looked around.

"I think I was better off when I couldn't concentrate," the echidna muttered.

Snarl and Windchaser looked pretty torn up and they had only managed to take out a few of the advancing Predicons.

"I think we're in trouble!" Snarl shouted.

"I agree."

"F.A.! You're awake!" 

"Yes, Windchaser, I am."

"You're annoying, you know that, right?"

"Yes, Snarl."

Snarl opened his mouth to give another joking comment when suddenly the wall across the hall from them imploded.

Everybody stopped fighting and spun around in shock to face the gaping, smoking hole.

The two fighters stood there, the afternoon sun hanging behind them made it impossible to see any details. Snarl relaxed a bit when he caught a glimpse of the Maximal symbol. One thing was obvious; these were two competent Maximal fighters. "I think the Calvary is here!" Snarl shouted, a smile playing at his lips.

"Rodeesh! Rattrap!"

"I'm not even going to say it 'Chase. Later!!"

The Predicons were as surprised at the sudden appearance of the two fighters as their Maximal counter parts. So they took refuge in the time honored strategy of, 'When in doubt, shoot everything that moves'.

Not that that did them much good.

The taller of the two fighters, the one that had Windchaser 'Chase, dove to the side and rolled. The shorter Maximal dove in the opposite direction and shot at the Predicons while still in the air.

The sixteen Predicons that Windchaser and Snarl hadn't managed to take down split into two groups and began firing at the two new Maximals. Snarl was about to fire at the Preds backs when Windchaser reached over and calmly flipped the safety switch on.

"Hey!"

"Shhhhhh! They're doin' this so we can get out of the hole in the hull! Once we've got the escape route to our backs and not across the hall, we'll start shooting so that Rod and Rattrap can get out. Clear?"

"Crystal! Come on First Aid, let's go!!" Snarl grabbed First Aid by the wrist and quickly pulled the medic after him towards the hull. "Come on!"

They ran through the gap in the Predicon forces and skidded to a halt at the hole. Snarl, Windchaser and First Aid then spun around and began shooting the Predicons again. Or at least First Aid and Windchaser did. It took Snarl a few repulsed attempts to shoot before he remembered that the safety was still on.

"Oops."

Cheetor bit back another scream as he was hit yet again by one of the Predicon's weapons. He felt his auto-repairs kick-in and after a few nanoclicks the injury was repaired. Cheetor glanced at Rattrap; the small demolitionist was both better, and worse off, than Cheetor.

Rattrap was better off because he actually had something to hide behind, while Cheetor was out in the open

Rattrap was a bit worse off because, unlike Cheetor, he didn't have instantaneous auto-repairs. Which meant that it would take a few cycles in the med. bay or in a CR-Chamber to get repaired.

Suddenly, three more weapons joined into the fray… hitting the Predicons from behind and dropping half of them in a few nanoclicks. Cheetor sighed in relief as his mind's senses informed him that it was Windchaser, First Aid, and the other Maximal.

* 'Rattrap, let's get out of here!'* Cheetor called over the comm. link. Cheetor waited until Rattrap was halfway to the exit before he began to head there himself.

The Predicons wouldn't be able to keep them from leaving.

Cheetor jumped out of the Predicon warcruiser and landed running calling for the others to as well.

_ Megator _

Cheetor suddenly felt the emotional sensation that he associated with the giant Predicon commander and felt the stirring of the icy fingers of dread as the grabbed his spark.

The uninjured and obviously full charged Predicon Commander was coming into battle range. Which meant that things were not going well for the heroes.

"We might be in trouble," Cheetor said, glancing around for the enemy.

Megator leaped in front of them in Beast-Mode, roaring.

"We're in trouble!"


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter Six**

A few tons of Predicons commander took a ground shacking step forward.

A few kilopounds of Maximal skidded to a stop. They almost sat down as they leaned back..

Megator took stepped forward again, and the fighters backpedaled. They scrambled to their feet and kept backing up.

Megator stopped moving. He drew his head back into a striking position and slowly opened his metallic jaws, showing a magnitude of sharp and deadly looking teeth.

Cheetor shoved Snarl and Rattrap behind him, while Windchaser quickly got in front of First Aid. If Megator kicked or if he Terrorized and fired at them, their wings would be able to hold up better than anything else.

Snarl blinked and almost panicked as he felt something grasp his wrist in an iron grip. He glanced down to see a royal blue hand holding him. Snarl blinked again and glanced to his right at Rattrap. Rattrap nodded at him, them nodded to the left. Snarl blinked yet again and looked in the direction that Rattrap had nodded. There were some rocks over there, but they weren't that big. What was Rodeesh's plan…

Rodeesh dove to the left, and Snarl was certain that his arm was now dislocated. Windchaser dove to the right, then spun around to face the cairn of rocks and, after grabbing First Aid, she quickly climbed into the air and then landed next to the other three fighters behind the rocks.

Cheetor cursed himself out angrily under his breath as the five fighters ran away from the Predicon base as quickly as they could. _'Trouble?!? THAT was the understatement of the century, cat! Trouble!?! How about deep ske'et?!? Slag it and Primus take it!! This is definitely NOT good!'_

Megator suddenly jumped in front of them, and Cheetor and Windchaser quickly got in front of the other three Maximals. That, unfortunately, was NOT a good idea, either. Megator kicked out at them, connecting with his two fore fighters. Which unfortunately meant that the fighters BEHIND Cheetor and Windchaser were sent flying backward along with the two who had been kicked.

The five Maximals skidded backwards nearly six times their body length. They lay there, a look of slight shock and definite pain on Cheetor's and Windchaser's faces. The other three scrambled to their feet and half dragged, half supported the other two as they got back behind the rocks again and opened fire at Megator. Megator terrorized, and returned the favor… the Maximals couldn't hold out forever.

------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

Cheetor leaned back against the rock, trying to focus past the pain that fogged his world.

_'From now on, I make sure that I am NOT kicked by Megator. That… hurt. Ow, slag, that REALLY hurt…'_

First Aid glanced at Rodeesh ad Windchaser. They both were leaning limply against the rock. The impact from Megator knocking them before they could use their wings to buffer it had put both of them into a slight shock reaction. If he hadn't been here, Snarl and Rattrap would have been forced to supply cover fire until the other two pulled themselves out of it. However, he WAS here, and he knew exactly what to do. 

Windchaser blinked as the fog suddenly lifted. She shook her head to clear it the rest of the way. The whine and heat of lasers didn't help her concentrate very well.

"Windchaser?"

Windchaser turned her head in the direction of the voice to find herself looking at First Aid and a head shaking Rodeesh.

"What HIT us?"

"Megator. Kicked you before you could get your wings up."

"No wonder I have a head-ache… ouch… and a chest-ache." Windchaser smiled at Rodeesh's comment, not that she didn't agree whole heartily with him. In fact, the opposite was true.

"If da three of ya will save da complainin' until AFTER we take care of our BIG problem?" Rattrap said.

"Oh… yeah… Right, Rattrap."

**Two Megacycles later…**

"I'm running low on AMMO!!"

"That's better than me, Snarl! I am **completely** OUT of ammo." Windchaser paused, then added, "That's never happened to me before."

"Too bad for YOU!" Megator shouted as he landed in front of the five fighters in his battle-mode. "You will not escape this time Maximals, no. Now I will have FIVE bargaining chips instead of two. Yeeeessssss."

Cheetor shook his head and shakily got to his feet, still feeling the effects of the kick Megator had given him earlier. The other four Maximals got to their feet as well, just as shakily as he had.

"Well, Nightwolf is going to reap me for this," Cheetor muttered, as Megator stepped forward. "I promised him that I wouldn't get to badly damaged before my next check-up. Huh, I should have known that I'd jinked myself." _'Alright 'Chase, if we're gonna go down, let's go down FIGHTING!'_

'Right.'

"Snarl, First Aid, Rattrap… I think it's time to kick a little Barney butt."

Rattrap nodded and got set to lunge forward, "Nice workin' with ya Cheetor."

"Hope I see you again, when next we meet." Windchaser said, trying to hide the fact that if she had been capable, tears would have been streaking her face.

"Let's not get all doom and gloom here," Cheetor said, forcing a smile. "I mean, come on… It's 'Barney the Dinosaur', we've got this in the bag. Rattrap, you take First Aid and Snarl to the base, Windchaser and I will keep Megator busy."

Rattrap smiled, "Ya right kiddo, R.H.I.P., Rank Hath It's Privalges. And I'm still Second in Command. I'm stayin'."

"Thanks R.T."

------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

The sound of engines would give them away. 

He was sure of it.

Megator would hear them coming and then THEY would be the cause of their deaths and not Megator.

But there was no other choice.

Five fighters couldn't hold out for long against the entire Predicon force. This was the way it had to be.

…So why did it feel like he was about to betray his best and only friend?

------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

Megator took a ground-shaking step forward, transforming to his beast-mode in mid-step. Cheetor shook his head, certain that he was hearing things.

_'Chase do you hear… engines?'_

'You hear them too? Thank Primus, I though I was going crazy!'

'What do you mean GOING?'

Windchaser was about to reply when suddenly Megator made his move. He snapped his head forward; it raced through the air towards them, faster than anyone could even think to react.

An explosion filled the air for a nanoclick.

Cheetor blinked as Megator went flying backwards, several weapon wounds evidence of how he could fly without the aid of his jets.

Cheetor spun around to face the direction that the weapons had been fired from. He felt a smile of pure relief play at his lips.

"Optimus!! Depthcharge!!"

"What in the name of Primus are you two doing here?!?" Windchaser demanded.

"The same thing as you apparently, Windchaser," said Optimus in return. He stayed up in the air in his jet mode while Depthcharge transformed to battle-mode, landed with a thud, and began firing his chest weapon at Megator.

"Do you ever stop it with the energy pizzas?" Cheetor asked Depthcharge with a grin.

"Save the conversation for later! Let's go, go, go!!" Optimus shouted.

Cheetor, Windchaser and Depthcharge transformed to their beast-modes, while Snarl stayed maximized and took to the air with Depthcharge. Cheetor and Windchaser waited until Rattrap and First Aid had clambered onto their backs then they too took to the sky. Megator's curses and laser blasts filled the air around them as the seven Maximals beat a hasty retreat. Rattrap threw a demolition charge from his position of Windchaser's back and traded grins with the Fuzor when Megator suddenly went flying backwards again.

------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

Snarl looked around at his quarters. They were a bit small, but it was a lot better than nothing.

Snarl walked around the room, one bed and four walls was all there was to it. "Well, this looks dull."

Snarl stared at the wall opposite his bed-to-be, and then he began pulling his purloined weapons out of their sub-space pockets. Soon all of his walls displayed his now rather impressive collection.

First Aid finished the repairs.

Rattrap flexed his arm, testing the repairs. The silver and blue Maximal was pleased to discover that it was as good a job that he would have gotten from the CR-Chamber, if not better. Windchaser chuckled as she left the room to finish the work out that the rescue had interrupted. "Well," said First Aid. "That does it."

"Thanks, Doc."

"You're welcome. Now try and stay in one piece for at least the next three days. Just because I repair you guys doesn't mean that I do it just so that you can go back out and get yourself scrapped again."

Rattrap nodded and chuckled. "I'll do my best, Doc." Rattrap smiled again and stretched, then added, "After all, I'd hate to get my new paint job scratched."

First Aid smiled at Rattrap's joke and nodded. Then, since no one else was waiting, he walked out with Nightwolf and Rattrap.

First Aid smiled again. There was a party scheduled for tonight to celebrate the newcomers arrival, and his own greeting from the Strike Team when they had gotten back to the base earlier had been like one that young humans would give a beloved uncle. It had been great… if slightly painful.

When they had landed on their way back to the base, Windchaser had given him a tight hug and a kiss on the cheek while repeating the Gypsy word for uncle (Mu'shu). As soon as Windchaser had stepped back, First Aid had gotten a solid, back thumping, hug from Rodeesh. Who for some reason tried to convince him to call him Cheetor.

When the seven fighters had finally reached the base, which to First Aid's and Snarl's utter surprise had been at the Ark's true location, Nightwolf and Skywitch had assaulted First Aid with crushing bear-hugs and shouts of 'Mu'shu!!' Which they were forced to explain the meaning of.

------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

"Again."

Windchaser launched herself at her opponent once again.

And, once again, she found herself on her back with Rodeesh's arm blade tight against her throat. "Didn't we already do this, Rodeesh?"

"Cheetor… and yes we did do this already." Cheetor let Windchaser get to her feet, then he set up for a fight. "Now… " Windchaser groaned and got set herself. "Again."

First Aid raised an optic ridge. At this rate, Windchaser was going to end up in the CR-Chamber… or the Medical Bay.

The two fighters had gotten fixed up, and then they had gone to the Practice Room and fell to it.

Or at least Windchaser 'fell to it'.

Many times.

On her back.

"Again."

Windchaser groaned. She got up and attacked again, and once again she ended up on her back. She looked up at the ceiling, then muttered to herself, "In with the old AND the new and I STILL end up on my back."

"Again."

  


------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------- 


End file.
